"This is my 14^th album, the most romantic so far," says Bulgaria’s beloved jazz singer Vassil Petrov, describing the collection entitled Love Songs Vol. 1. It contains favourite jazz standards, and the "bonus song" is "Looking for Shelter” – one of the greatest hits of Vassil Petrov, music by Vassil Parmakov. With the exception of "Looking for Shelter”, all songs on the album date back to the 1920s and 1930s, a time when the show business took shape and jazz emerged as a genre.

“I have included jazz standards from George and Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mandel, etc," the artist says in an interview for Radio Bulgaria. The songs are included in the renewed project SymphoNY way, which Vassil Petrov presents together with the Vratsa Philharmonic, conducted by Hristo Pavlov. The jazz trio Yordan Tonovski (piano), Hristo Minchev (bass guitar), Kristian Zhelev (drums) also takes part in the project. A special guest in the program is the famous violinist Zornitsa Ilarionova.

Vassil Petrov’s tour started a few days ago from Southern Bulgaria (Sliven, Plovdiv, Karlovo and Burgas), to be followed by seven more Bulgarian cities (Yambol, Pleven, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Lovech, Shumen, Ruse). The last concert is planned to take place in Sozopol on the Black Sea coast on September 22^nd. We learn more details about the SymphoNY way program from Vassil Petrov:

"The first song is Smile – from the famous Charlie Chaplin movie "City Lights". There are other famous plays from movies. I've also included hits like Morris Albert's Feelings, Francis Lay's Love story (Where Do I begin), songs of the Beatles, Sting, Sinatra, spirituals, gospels. The selection is very diverse, with its own dramatic development and a natural culmination towards the end. The audience reacts very enthusiastically, they don't let us leave the stage. "

Let us recall that Vassil Petrov's professional career began while he was still a student at the Pancho Vladigerov National Music Academy in Sofia, in the class of Boris Stamenov, and later – with Angel Zaberski Sr. How does he feel on stage today?

"I can say that I have changed in a positive direction. I have accumulated a routine; I am entering deeper and deeper waters in terms of interpretation. I perceive the songs as roles which I impersonate, I see them as short plays. I try my best to reveal the idea of ​​the authors who wrote the music and the lyrics. This is my approach in the new album as well – I tried to present the audience with the clearest possible interpretations. Amidst the restrictions in recent months, people started to yearn for art, music, theatre. It is important not to disappoint them. For us, the performers, performances abroad have started again. I already had a trip to Italy, now I am preparing for a festival in Serbia, which was postponed four times due to the pandemic. Hopefully now the circumstances will allow the organizers to put it through. I hope to resume the tour with the Argentine star Karen Souza, with whom we had to do concerts in Sardinia, Italy and Bulgaria."

It is well-known that one of Vassil Petrov's favourite pastimes is painting. He says that during the lockdown he created many paintings. Some of them he is planning to show in an exhibition that will accompany his concerts in Varna, Bansko and other venues.

Written by Albena Bezovska

English version Rositsa Petkova